Photes 'n Quotes!

I had some fun with photo editing these past couple days.  I straightened my hair for fun, and took advantage of the photo opportunities while I had a different look.

"People with many interests live not only longest, but happiest." - George Matthew Allen 

"One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure." -  William Feather

"As I grow to understand life less and less, I grow to love it more and more." - Jules Renard

Happy Saturday!

Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!

The title, of course, comes from one of my favourite classic Christmas cartoons, How the Grinch Stole Christmas: "He puzzled and puzzled till his puzzler was sore.  Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.  Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.  Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!"  You bet it does.  So on this, my 27th Christmas, I am taking a moment to express my thankfulness for my awesome life and the people in it.

I just finished a great semester of teaching at Rivier (in my 5th year already - where does the time go?!).  I have amazing students who left me super great cards and thoughtful gifts on Friday before we headed out for the Christmas holidays:

This is why I love my job.

I have a house in a safe and friendly neighbourhood, the means to renovate it and make it my own, and a brand new deck that I got to build with my mom and dad this summer.... and on beautiful winter mornings the view from my kitchen deck door looks like this:

Canada: Freezing but beautiful!

I have the cutest twin nieces in the world, and I love them more than I could ever imagine.  2 days ago we got to paint sugar cookies with them in their jammies.  They were so adorable, and were busy busy busy making their beautiful creations!

Picasso(s) in the making

I got to spend this Christmas morning with my beautiful sister and her husband, and the sweetest little ladies around.  My parents were both here too, and everyone is happy and healthy (aside from little Emily who has a double ear infection... poor beaner!  After some Tylenol she was her regular happy self though, thank goodness.)

Santa came with lots of presents!

This month I booked 2 flights to Athens, Greece for this July.  A couple days ago I bought 2 flights from Athens to Rome.  My friend Scott and I will be embarking on a crazy 10-day adventure together where we will be visiting Athens and Rome and seeing some of the most amazing sights while having tons of friend bonding time and outrageous shenanigans.

The Sistine Chapel, Rome

The Parthenon, Athens (atop the Acropolis)

Life is good.  Period.  Here's a quick snapshot of my life in photo form.  

Optimism: It's contagious!

Saskatchewan... home sweet home. :o)

My 2 loves, having a snooze on our couch (so bad but so cute!)

One of my favourite quotes ever.  LOVE Emerson!

Amen!  And with sheet music at that!

I get to meet up with some of these crazy wonderful people in 2 days.... winter getaway Pt. IV!

Merry Christmas to everyone reading this.  I hope you have many reasons to smile, today and every day, and that you carry happiness in your heart wherever you go.  Be conscious of your blessings and the wonderful people and opportunities that surround you.  Tell people that you love them.  SHOW them.  Be kind to others.  Try new things.  Take risks.  Laugh.  Take care of yourself.  Take care of others.  Be vibrant.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Bobby the original

As you all have gathered, when I'm not traveling overseas I update my blog very irregularly.  That being said, those close to me know that a week and a half ago I lost one of the most amazing men in my life, my grandpa Orris Steinburg, or "Bobby" as he was referred to by my sister and me.  It was only a couple posts ago that I wrote about losing my grandma Connie, and in real time it was only 7 months ago... it seems so unreal to have lost both of them in the same school year.  Those of you who knew my grandpa would have known him as a gentle, kind, and witty man.  An artist.  A musician.  A family man.  The most gentle and sweet guy you've ever known.  The kind of man that cried at the end of "The Little Mermaid" when King Triton sent Ariel away to be with Eric because he knew that she loved him, even though it was hard for him to let go as a father.  That kind of guy.  A total softie.

So today I put on my new "Happy Hat" because I was on Face Time with my mom and I thought I'd show her.  I took a picture of me wearing it, then edited it online.  The quote that I put on it reads "You were born an original... don't die a copy."

And then it struck me.  You know who was an original his whole life?  Bobby.  The use of those art terms is also so fitting for someone who painted for his whole life too... right up until almost the day he died.  I had done some abstract painting with him when I went to visit in February.  I wanted some "Lauren and Bobby" originals to hang on the wall of my jacuzzi bathroom in my new (perpetual renovation-zone) house.  He had never done it before, but at age 85 he decided to give it a shot.  We bonded over our painting sessions in his studio, he gave me tips on how to blend the colours and where to put other colours to balance the whole thing out.  Even though he was achy and sore with bone cancer (a diagnosis he had received only a few months prior), he still kept such a positive attitude and helped me out with my project.  They now proudly hang in my still-unfinished bathroom, signed on the back in our own handwriting, "Lauren and Bobby."  (We also did a little pink one for Avery and Emily, signed "Auntie Lauren and Great Bobby" - seen below.)

When I went to visit him in Hamiota again on March 30th, he asked for help putting a scanned image of a sketch he had just done into Photoshop.  Now that I had gotten him on the wavelength of abstract painting, he wanted to experiment with some abstract combined with the realism of the string trio he had just drawn (he was always up for a new challenge or learning something new at any age).  So I helped him open his image in Photoshop, and off he went on his new project.  And, after our brief but meaningful visit, off I went, back home to Saskatchewan.

After he passed away on April 28th, I immediately took a week off of teaching and drove to Hamiota for the third time in only 2 months.  When I arrived there the house was empty - Auntie Donna, mom, and Karyn had taken the twins to Brandon for the day and weren't back yet.  I walked around the house, just taking it all in.  In my grief, everything seemed so still and empty, despite the mess that was left from two busy 18-month-old girls and a house full of people trying to prepare for a funeral.  In my wandering, naturally I walked into grandpa's studio, which he affectionately dubbed "Studi-O" for Orris.  The sight that greeted me got me instantly choked up.  There on his easel was the project he had started, unfinished.  Mid-process.  As though somehow magically he was going to come around the corner with a handful of freshly-washed brushes and get right back to work on it.

And if that, ladies and gentlemen, isn't the best example you've ever seen of someone doing something they love for their whole life, then I don't know what is.  Here is a man who had cancer in every bone in his body, who was widowed twice, and despite all of his hurting he made the most of every day of his life, even right until the very end.  I don't think he could have left a more poignant gift than the unfinished musician painting.  This will stick with me as one of the best life lessons my grandpa ever taught me.

This man was an "original" for his whole life.  He inspired others by just being himself.  He did everything he could to make sure that all of the important people in his life knew that he loved them.  He came to graduations, musicals, concerts, sporting events... everything.  He would tell silly jokes and do funny things to make us laugh.  He was never ever a "copy," just the one and only Orrie, Bobby, grandpa.  He was an original in every sense of the word.

"You were born an original... don't die a copy."  It strikes me now more than ever that even mere days before he died, this man was CREATING another original.  If I can take one lesson from his passing, it is to be eternally grateful for all of the blessings that I have in my life, and to keep on doing what I love even in the face of adversity.  If I can be half the person that Bobby was, I will be very proud.  He was a great man, and the best darn original I've ever known.

Before and After

I have a compulsion to take "before and after" photos every time I clean something. It reminds me of how messy it was before, I suppose - a visual side-by-side of how great it looks once it's done. Tonight was very productive at my house. I took my car for a wand wash first:

Then I came home and cleaned my kitchen, did the dishes, ran a load through the dishwasher, swept the floors, lit some candles, etc.:

Finally, I cleaned my room, did a load of laundry, made the bed, and swept the floor:

TADA!

My super cool July 2012 opportunity

This past fall, I Google searched a youth camp that I went to for one week in the summer after grade 9. I was thinking that it'd be fun to work there as a camp counsellor if they needed extra help. Fast forward about 3 months, and I've applied for the job and then been hired as the camp facilitator, in charge of organizing and programming the activities for the 2 weeks of camp. Very cool! Then, right before Christmas, I receive an e-mail saying, "What are you doing on (insert dates here)? The international conference is in Washington, DC and I think it would be good if you could go." Umm, YES PLEASE! So cool. Here's a snapshot of what my summer might look like, a la USA capital city:

Capitol Hill - the Capitol building and Washington Monument

The Washington Monument

The Capitol Building

The White House

The Lincoln Memorial

The Lincoln Memorial (check out Honest Abe in the middle!)

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

The Circle of Life

A lot has happened in our family in the past 2 months. Sadly, my beautiful, creative, funny, generous, kind-hearted grandma Connie passed away of cancer on September 14th. We were so fortunate to have been able to get back to Hamiota to see her before she passed away, and even more fortunate to have had so many wonderful years of memories with her, all through our childhood and into our adult years. My mom stayed in Hamiota for a month in total, before and after she passed, while the rest of the family was able to travel both to visit her before she passed away, and then again for the funeral and to support my grandpa. At her funeral, all of her grandchildren sang "Wind Beneath My Wings" (a song that she requested) while I played the piano and Brent played guitar. The service was a beautiful tribute to a wonderful woman and a wonderful life, and we miss her dearly.

On a much happier note, the twins turned one year old last Tuesday, and we had a great little birthday party at Karyn and Nook's house. Family on both sides traveled from 4 different cities/towns to attend the party, and we had lots of opportunity to visit, eat, take pictures, and just spend quality time together. The ladies got lots of new toys for their birthday, and the older cousins had a great time opening the presents for them, since they're still too little to do it themselves. Avery and Emily, in their pointy part hats, got their own individual birthday cakes to feed themselves in their fancy helium-balloon-adorned birthday highchairs. Nook gave them both a scoop of ice cream as well, and Emily loved it, although she discovered quite quickly how cold it was when she picked it up in both hands to feed herself. Overall the Thanksgiving/"beanday" party weekend was a wonderful family-filled time where we celebrated all that we are so thankful for: health, happiness, extended family, Karyn and Nook's beautiful new home, healthy and adorable little birthday babies, and a whole lot of love.

So, in our family, it has been an emotional few months. We are continuing to heal from the loss of Connie, and we are so thankful for the years of memories we have shared. Next month will mark the one-year anniversary of Nook's youngest sister Bunzy's car accident that took her life, and I think of her often and miss her so much, especially at family gatherings like the birthday party for her twin nieces, whom she only got to know until they were 6 weeks old. And yet somehow, in the midst of the hurt that life deals us (however unfair it may seem whether you were 22 or 70), life also has a way of providing us with many wonderful gifts to celebrate... and sometimes they come two at a time. :o) It's kind of like the circle of life, I guess.

From the day we arrive on the planet

And blinking, step into the sun

There's more to see than can ever be seen,

More to do than can ever be done.

There's far too much to take in here,

More to find than can ever be found.

But the sun rolling high through the sapphire sky

Keeps great and small on the endless round.

It's the circle of life, and it moves us all

Through despair and hope, through faith and love

Til we find our place on the path unwinding

In the circle, the circle of life.

Summer 2011 updates - photo album style!

Well, it has been almost 2 months since my last update, and it's partially because of my laziness with updating my blog, and partially because of my busy life preventing me from updating! Most of my updates go on facebook anyway, but I'm not ready to be done with this blog so every now and then I have to pop in and fill you in on what has been up in my world. :o)

So, here is my summer thusfar, in photo album style!

On June 24th, we said goodbye to another group of beautiful young women as they graduated and went on to bigger and better things in the "real world" :o)

On my last day of work, June 28th, I packed up at 4pm and headed off to Saskatoon to catch Bela Fleck and the Flecktones at the Saskatoon Jazz Festival. It was AMAZING! Check that one off the bucket list!

On Canada Day (July 1st) my saxophone quartet performed at Waskesiu, Prince Albert National Park, just for kicks. We actually drew a pretty decent audience!

And then there was the week full of celebrating the marriages of some wonderful friends:

My student teacher Nathan and his new wife Morgan - July 2nd

My earliest childhood friend Chelsey and her new husband Cory - July 2nd

My best high school choir friend Jessica and her new husband Kerry - July 9th

The day after Jessica and Kerry's wedding I headed off to the lake to get in some R&R time with the beans (getting cuter every day!), the lake, and mom and dad and their new kayak! We also helped Karyn and Nook move into their brand new home - I got to be on babysitting duty while they painted closet organizers, moved furniture, etc. Good deal!

Watching dad kayak around Brightsand Lake

Emily being an adorable little nut!

Avery laughing at Karyn's silly dance moves

Right after my week at the lake, I taught saxophone at the Saskatoon Junior Band Camp for one week. Here I am conducting my small saxophone ensemble playing the theme from "Star Wars" - super fun!

Right after Saskatoon Band Camp came IMC - my favourite place to hang out in the summer! This past week had students in art, orchestra, fiddle, and band. The art students decorated the sidewalks outside the main office and Burdick Centre. Love it!

My new quilt made its debut at IMC! For those of you who have a homemade bag from me, do you recognize any of your fabrics in it? :o)

Re-uniting with awesome friends! (Abby and Adam)

Yay, IMC friends! (Carolyn, Tim, and Christine)

It was an awesome week, but it went by so fast! (Abby, me, Adam, Sarah, Cory, Hannah, Emma, and Jessica)

After IMC I headed right back to the lake for our family reunion - a bunch of family members had driven from Vancouver, Calgary, and Winnipeg to spend the long weekend at Brightsand with everyone, including the twins whom none of them had yet met. Fun!

My cousins Brent and Scott, and Scott's wife Jenn catching some sun by the water's edge

Uncle Ron, Uncle Jack, Brent, Scott, and Jenn

Mom on her 54th birthday in her brand new kayak! So cute! (In this picture she was kayaking back into shore to get a new beer from Scott, as the one she had originally was frozen - and who can kayak without a proper beer?!) :op

The beans in their "Thing 1/Thing 2" Dr. Seuss onesies from Auntie Lauren

The fam: Dad, Nook, Uncle Ron, Brent, Scott, Uncle Jack, Auntie Diane, Karyn, Auntie Donna, me, mom, and Jenn

Cousins: Brent, me, Karyn, Scott (Sean missing)

Emily on her cute giant giraffe pillow from Auntie Bunzy

Sisters playing together with their big farm toy

A cool purple flower that I found on the beach at Brightsand

This cute little heart bum will be crawling soon!

The girls are getting so big! Now they can drink water from their own sippy cups. :o)

Uncle Ron feeding the babies

And there you have it! What a busy and fun summer it has been so far! Now Jeff and I are just hanging out around home for a bit, and I still have some unpacking and cleaning to do. Then I'll be checking out the musical "Wicked" in Saskatoon on the 10th, a Rider football game on the 12th with Jeff and his parents, and then a trip to Hamiota/Winnipeg to visit my grandma in the hospital - her cancer is back and we're sending tons of love and good vibes and positive thoughts for her to beat it, but we'd like to go see her and be there for support anyway.

I hope everyone that reads this is doing well and enjoying their summer (or winter, if you're a kiwi!). I miss you all and hope to see you all again soon!